Push to stop illegal dumping puts dent in N.O. East trash

While the trash issue is far from fixed, officials say some areas are starting to see new improvements.

Author:
Paul Dudley / Eyewitness News

Published:
6:51 PM CST January 19, 2019

Updated:
6:51 PM CST January 19, 2019

NEW ORLEANS —

Take a drive down Old Gentilly Road in the East and you’ll see trash as far as the eye can see.

However, a recent push to combat littering is making a difference in some areas.

Sylvia Scineaux-Richard, president of the Eastern New Orleans Neighborhood Advisory Committee, said that, unfortunately, the problem of illegal dumping is nothing new but believes the problem can be fixed.

“It’s really an eyesore and because of that it became a major part of our push to get it eradicated,” said Scineaux-Richard.

This push recently included a litter-free campaign geared at residents, business owners and school children. The group also worked with city and state leaders to combat the issue and it appears to have made some difference in a few places.

Off of East Point Circle, a burned out car and a couple mattresses sit on the side of the road. However, it used to be much worse, according to Scineaux-Richard. Parts of Almonaster and Micoud avenues are also cleaner than they used to be, she said.

“There has been a difference there,” said Scineaux-Richard. “The (area) has been picked up. People who have been violating the rules have been arrested so that’s a big part.”

Though Scineaux-Richard wasn’t sure about any new crime cameras in the east, she applauded Mayor LaToya Cantrell’s Clean Up Nola Campaign, in which ten city crime cameras were placed to target illegal dumping spots.

“That’s major because if people know it can be traced back to them they are going to think twice before they dump,” she said.

Scineaux-Richard is quick to point out illegal dumping is still an issue, claiming dumpers are finding more secluded roads now like Old Gentilly Road and nearby Grant Street, where the debris still seems endless. Still, she’s not discouraged and her focus remains on the next step.

“I think the next step is making sure the residents understand the importance of keeping their communities and their neighborhoods clean and free of litter.”

The city did not say where exactly the new crime cameras are located but according to a Facebook post from Mayor Cantrell last week seven incidents have been tracked and are in the process of being enforced.